Quite frankly, the idea that the Minister of Finance - simultaneously the most senior cabinet minister under the Prime Minister and the holder of the federal moneybags - knew nothing about this strains credulity almost to the breaking point.
Martin was more charitable Sunday, calling Chrétien a man of "unquestioned integrity" and saying he's sure his former boss was not personally involved in the scandal.
Bushwah. It's been a number of years since I would have said that of Chrétien personally. He himself was the target of accusations of conflict of interest over the so-called "Shawinagate" scandal: federal money granted to a hotel in his home riding of Shawinagan, of which he was once part owner, and which neighboured a golf course in which technically he was still a shareholder. This sponsorship thing is not a new scandal; it's been around for at least a couple of years. Of course, Chrétien also has a track record of shuffling his feet on issues of Parliamentary ethics.
He's right. It is unquestionable to me that Chrétien is a crook.